"It feels like a kick in the guts when you're already down."
That's how one business owner in West Auckland was summing up the situation after multiple lockdowns and now a deluge of rain.
Stewart Automotive & Fabrication Kumeū. Photo: RNZ/Kate Gregan
Floodwaters ripped through dozens of homes and businesses following downpours on Monday night. Almost 210mm of rain fell on the township within 24 hours; 11 people were rescued, dozens of homes were evacuated and flooding dealt a heavy blow to already struggling businesses.
Stewart Automotive & Fabrication Kumeū owner Paul Stewart said floodwaters reached waist-high in his shop, and damaged about 90 percent of his tools.
"It's managed to get up to the computers, so that's ruined those. It looks like a bomb went off in there. I can't believe how much the water has moved everything around.
"I'm pretty gutted, but at the same time, it is what it is."
Cleaning up at Stewart Automotive & Fabrication, Kumeū. Photo: RNZ/Kate Gregan
Mud, water and oil still covered the ground on Tuesday afternoon. Stewart said every drum and oil catcher had fallen on its side during the storm and started leaking.
The amount of damage meant a huge insurance claim, he said.
"We're just trying to go around and suck up everything that we can, so it doesn't get in the drain."
His wife and the business's office manager Sarah Stewart said the oil on her mask was a stark reminder that the event couldn't have happened at a worse time.
"I think it's a bit overwhelming at this stage because there's a lot to do. It still feels quite surreal," she said.
Cole Prendergast was busy helping Paul and Sarah on Tuesday afternoon, using a wet vacuum to clean up what he could.
"She's a bit of a job," he said.
Prendergast said he would not know how long the clean-up would take until they could get everything out of the garage and reassess.
Paul Stewart - who has owned the business for six years - said it was a heavy blow to his business that was already struggling under alert level 4, and would take a long time to recover.
"To be honest it's only just sort of coming back from that first lockdown last year, I've just started to get back up into a better financial position. Then we got Covid again, then another lockdown, and now this, so who knows. It could take another year, maybe two," he said.
Stewart said the community would get through the challenge together.
"It's what I've found in Kumeū and the neighbouring places around here, everyone sticks together and helps out, even with clean-ups and everything, so it shouldn't be too bad," he said.
Kumeū had 149 percent of the normal August monthly rainfall in a single day, its second-wettest day on record.
Around 60 households spent a night in temporary accommodation on Monday and some spent a second night away from home, Waitākere ward councillor Shane Henderson said.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff told Morning Report it was likely some buildings in the area would be red stickered and inspectors would be in the area today to do a thorough assessment. It was unclear how much repair work could be done during alert level 4, he said.
Goff said people should check their insurance policy, which would often meet the cost of alternative accommodation, and if not the council was helping place people in motels or hotels.
Some parts of Huapai, north-west of Auckland, remained without electricity on Wednesday morning. Lines company Vector says was power is back on in most places, including Piha and Bethells Beach, but extensive flooding around Huapai had restricted safe access to the area.